Kilt Protocol - What is it & What is not

First time, a Parachain “Kilt” migrated its entire chain from Kusama to Polkadot seamlessly.

Slowly paradigm shifting and we see that projects are under no obligation to be deployed on both relay chains.

But what’s Kilt Parachain though? Identity protocol?

Briefly, let’s dive into the data and privacy issues.

For any new service on internet, we have to register with our digital IDs by giving them any kind of sensitive data required without caring much.

We lost the track of our data for so long, we’ve no idea of how big the scale of our data hold on centralized silos and is shared among them.

After Wikileaks, we started to be more conscious about the concept of self sovereign data and digital identities.

Kilt comes up with blockchain solutions to these needs.

But instead of targeting a cyperpunk ideology, they’re trying to fill the gap between web 2.0 and web 3.0.

What does this mean?

We all know KYCs which provide us knowing who we actually talking within cyberspace.

There’s still requirement for trusted authorities to see our data and unfortunately this cannot be avoided in today’s world.

If nobody sees our data, nobody can do attestation for us.

Until this date, we’ve already given our data to governments, Binance, Universities, etc.

Point is;

• to have attestation
• and receive credentials from these organizations who already have our data,
• prove that it is true,
• then store this proof as hash numbers in Kilt chain

So that, by receiving these verified credentials; next time we can present them without disclosing our data to some other 3rd parties which are not very trustworthy.

How does Kilt Protocol do that?

Kilt is basically a protocol for issuing VCs (verifiable credentials) and DIDs (decentralized identifiers) to the claimers.

Identifiers?

Our faces, our signatures which are naturally decentralized from the genesis. Idea is to keep them with us.

Simply,

• a claimer, claims a credential from attester.
• This credential is given back to you and stores locally
• Attester writes hash of credential on Kilt chain
• Claimer presents credential to verifier
• If Verifier trusts Attester, it checks Hash
• If they match, it approves

Technically how Kilt provide us to disclose our data?

Using zk-Stark by zCloak Network , they prevent disclosing your data to verifier and prove them who you are without out telling who you are.

Data and the computation stays in your own devices.

What is this zkp- zero knowledge proof? Check my simple explanation on here.

It is clear that Kilt is aiming for institutional adaptation.

Applying blockchain solution on real world issues.

With their DIDsign, we can sign any type of file securely & privately by putting timestamps on them.

For medical field, this provides putting untampered timestamps on their library reports. Fixing the issue of proving who invented or published a research over the years.

You can create DIDs on assets as well.

Let’s say I buy a camera.

I receive a NFT version of it signed as a DID attached on it. Whenever I wanna sell it, buyer can request the DID of it which can distinguish whether I’m the real owner or a thief.

These examples can be applied on various utilities on insurance, accounting firms, media companies and even governments.

I can issue my covid vaccination certificate issued by a government without disclosing my personal data to whom requires the certificate.

We can see DAOs as Attester and issuer of verifiable credentials, so we can have a ledger of my detailed contributions, functionality, duration etc. and I can provide these credentials as a working experience proof for a job.

For KYC required platforms, kilt provides socialKYC service.

So if a verifier trust to this service, you don’t have to do any additional KYCs for every platform.

Something to be utilized, If one day regulations come to DEXs.

All these credentials stays in users Sporran Wallet among with users data in local device.

With XCM in Polkadot, any other dapp or parachain can implement DIDs into their services and utilize it behind the scenes without users noticing that they leverage Kilt at all.

What are the issues?

In the end, we, users disclose our data to an Attester, believing into their good act.

Of course, Kilt claims to provide revoking the Attester if it is revealed that they abuse your data in the process.

I can see a clear adoption of Kilt to many institutions in future.

But my worries are on the far end. Powerful monopolies can optimize this structure and become universal Attester for many verifiers.

Do you think it’s a danger or I’m overthinking?

What are your thoughts?

I might deep dive in more on privacy if that interests you, so let me know that.